Shadow's Last Stand
by Pretty Pagan
Summary: Shadow and Rouge's son, Bright, learns the truth of his father's death and his own birth.
1. Chapter 1

"Come along class, we've much to see today." The first grade class at Brian the Polecat Memorial Elementary School filed through the town square below Castle Grey Acorn. The teacher, desperate to retain some attention from his class shouted: "Allright, children. Who can name the figures on this statue?"

The kids started yelling at once: "King Sonic and Queen Sally!", "Knuckles the Echidna!", "Bunnie RabBot!", "Antione D'Cool... Cool..."

"That's close enough, kiddo," the teacher laughed.

"You're on there, Mr. Prower."

He laughed. "I was wondering if you would recognize me."

"And Mrs. Prower."

"Amy Rose. Who can name those two? Bright?"

A red and white hedgehog stepped forward. "Mr. Prower, they're my mommy and daddy."

Tails smiled wanly. "I remember your father well. He was a good man."

"Mr. Prower, why are all these people on the statue?"

"Well, that is a story worth telling. It started nearly ten years ago..."


	2. Chapter 2

Sonic the Hedgehog, the new Prince of Knothole, was taking a leisurely jog through Knothole, enjoying the scenery. He passed a familiar house with a familiar man in front of it. "Shad, what's up? Rouge have the baby yet?"

"Who knows? My mother in law hasn't let me in the house since Rouge got pregnant. Apperantly the words 'I don't think I had a period this month' are the words that summon Vespertilla." Sonic laughed. "She's actually in labor."

"Congratulations, but I didn't actually come here to discuss Rouge. Robotnik is back."

"How? I thought we definitively defeated him..."

"I thought we did, too. But our scouts have seen his troops near the Southlands. He's back with a vengence."

"It's not my problem."

"Tell me that after you see your child for the first time." Shadow said nothing. "I'll be going. Try to get back into your house."

Shadow held his head in his hands, and climbed into his house through a window. Vespertilla, Rouge's mother, was busy preparing Rouge for the moment of birth. "What are you doing here?"

"My house, my wife. She's not a teenager." He turned to Rouge, and held her. "Are you allright?"

She glared. "What do you think?" She sat up sharply.

Vespertilla looked up at her. "You're a mommy."

Rouge and Shadow snuggled against each other as Vespertilla cleaned their new daughter and brought her to them. "What name did we decide on?"

"Arista. It means 'Harvest'."

Shadow's heart softened, as it had been doing more and more since he'd met Rouge. "Damn Hedgehog."

"What?"

"Sonic."

"Let me guess, Robotnik."

However, Robotnik was not the one sending troops to invade Knothole. He was hanging by his thumbs in the dungeon of the one who was responsible.

"You'll never get away with this, Mecha!"

His daughter raised an eyebrow. "At the very high risk of sounding cliche, father, I already have. You're conquered and hanging by your thumbs in my dungeon, and the troops and ADAM are taking my commands. I will have King Elias on his knees before me. You have failed, father." She turned to her lover, "Lock him where he'll never see the light of day."

"MECHA!"


	3. Chapter 3

(Hey, sorry about the lack of updates. I've been debating whether or not to continue this, based on recent events in the comics.)

Sonic looked down at Sally, sleeping in the royal chambers next to him. Intelligence had told them of Robotnik's troops inching closer and closer to the palace. He arose from the bed, unable to sleep, and looked at their son in his bassinet. The hedgehog was brown, like Sally, but Sonic could see himself in the infant's eyes.

"You're awake, aren't you?"

"Sal, what happens if we die?"

"Then someone else raises Charles," Sally said in reference to their son, named for Sonic's Uncle Chuck.

"It means we won't be able to protect him. What if I die? What happens to you?"

"You think I don't ask myself the same questions, Sonic Hedgehog? If we're gone, what happens to our children?"

"Children? We only have one..." Suddenly realizing, he looked at her. "Are you?"

She nodded. "I won't be fighting."

Sonic just shook his head. "I hope I survive to see her."

"Don't be so morbid. We've defeated this Robotnik before. And the real Robotnik's been dead for years. We'll be fine, Sonic."

"That was when we were kids, when we were young." He held Sally's hand, and placed his other hand on her middle, where their next child was growing. "I wasn't afraid to die then."

Rouge looked at Shadow's inability to change a diaper with amusement. "It's not that hard, really."

He sneered. "I think when Dr. Gerard was creating the Ultimate Lifeform, Diaper Changing was not a skill he found neccessary to imprint upon me."

Rouge kissed him on the cheek. Suddenly hearing a clamoring, she turned. "What was that?"

Shadow peered out of the window. A battallion of Egg Warriors was stationed around their house. "Rouge. Take the baby and run." Knowing the danger, Rouge grabbed Arista and started to head out the window. "Rouge..." She turned. "I love you." She nodded and flew off. Shadow brooded out the door.

"Target One: Shadow. Attack."

"You really don't want to do that." Shadow lept into the air as two Warriors smashed into his house. He bounded off of each one in turn, smashing them into smithereens. "Tell Robotnik he's getting weak."

"He already knows."

Shadow turned. "Scourge."

The green hedgehog stepped out from behind the bushes. "Tis me. How's your... excuse me... MY whore?"

"She may have been your whore but she's my wife now."

Scourge laughed maniacally. "Villian."

"Go back to whoring for Robotnik, why don't you?"

"The good doctor has been deposed. Mecha sits on the throne of Robotropolis. And the Roboticizer is up and running again. You'll survive if you join me."

"In your dreams. I've found no family values from the Robotniks."

Scourge bowed. "Until we meet again, my fine friend."

Shadow waited until he was out of sight. Then, he rushed to the palace.

"Robotnik's not your enemy, Sonic."

"What?"

"Scourge has allied himself with Mecha. And they're roboticizing again."

"Dammit! I thought I destroyed that thing."

"Looks like you'll need my help after all."


End file.
